Urologic Cancers

The physicians at Urology Associates in Oklahoma City are experts at treating urologic cancers, including prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer. If you have a family history of one or more of these diseases or any other risk factors, it’s important to receive regular screenings; the earlier these cancers are detected, the greater the chance they can be treated successfully.

Our urologists will review your medical and family history and recommend the appropriate health screenings. If you are diagnosed with prostate, kidney, or bladder cancer, our doctors will educate you about your diagnosis and discuss your treatment options so you can make an informed decision that is best for you. Learn more about these conditions and treatments below. To visit Urology Associates at our main Oklahoma City office or one of our satellite locations, call (405) 749-9655 or you can request an appointment online.

Prostate Cancer

Located below the bladder and in front of the rectum, the prostate gland produces some of the fluid in semen and plays a role in urine control for men. Every year, approximately 161,000 new cases of prostate cancer – the most common cancer among men – are diagnosed in the United States.

A slow-growing cancer, prostate cancer is treatable if caught in its early stages. Regular testing and early detection are crucial for successful treatment.

At Urology Associates we begin with a prostate biopsy using transrectal ultrasound imaging as a guide to the areas of the prostate where abnormalities are detected. A tiny amount of tissue is removed and analyzed. If cancer is identified, our urologists can determine its aggressiveness and likelihood of metastasizing.

Some prostate cancer may be able to be watched, something called Active Surveillance. The options for treating prostate cancer can include radiation or surgery:

• Radiation with or without hormone therapy may be used as external beam radiation therapy, Proton, or Brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy), which involves placing radioactive material directly inside or beside the tumor.
• Radical prostatectomy, which is an operation to remove the prostate gland and the tissues that surround it. This can be done both open, or now most commonly, using robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer – also called renal cancer – occurs when kidney cells become malignant and form a tumor. The encouraging news is that most kidney cancers are found before they spread to other organs and, if caught early, are easier to treat successfully.

People older than 40 are most likely to develop kidney cancer and men are twice as likely to get it as women. Other risk factors include:

• Being obese
• Having advanced kidney disease
• Having high blood pressure
• Using certain pain medications over a long period of time
• Having a family history of kidney cancer
• Being exposed to chemicals such as asbestos, herbicides, benzene, or organic solvents
• Being a smoker

Many times, kidney cancer is asymptomatic meaning you don't know it's there. Symptoms of kidney cancer can include pain in your side, weight loss, or extreme fatigue. It can also be detected during a routine physical exam or a test for another disease such as blood tests, ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI.

At Urology Associates, we will discuss the diagnosis of kidney cancer with you and offer an appropriate management strategy that may include biopsy, thermal ablation, or surgical options including nephrectomy, the removal of part or all of the affected kidney.

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer occurs when cells in the bladder grow abnormally or out of control. While the exact cause of bladder cancer is unknown, cigarette smoking and exposure to certain industrial chemicals appear to be risk factors. Common symptoms of bladder cancer include blood in the urine and changes in urinary habits.

If you are diagnosed with bladder cancer, there are several treatment options available depending on your age, the bladder cancer stage, and whether you have any other health conditions.

The most common surgery for bladder cancer is transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT), which involves the removal of abnormal tissues or tumors. This may involve more than one resection to ensure that all of the tumor has been removed and to be sure the cancer is adequately staged.

Another potential option is having a cystectomy, a type of surgery in which part or all of the bladder is removed, depending on whether or not the cancer is invading the muscle layers of the bladder and whether or not it has spread.

Early-stage bladder cancers may respond to intravesical therapy, in which a catheter is used to inject a liquid medication directly into the bladder. One option is to inject a vaccine called bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), which draws your body’s immune cells to your bladder to fight the cancer cells. The other option is cancer-fighting chemotherapy to help destroy harmful cancer cells.

Systemic chemo, which is delivered via an IV, is another alternative, as well as radiation therapy.

If undetected, urologic cancers can be insidious, life-threatening diseases. But with early detection, most can be successfully treated. At Urology Associates, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care to our patients. For more information about our treatments for urologic cancers or to schedule an appointment at our conveniently located offices in and around Oklahoma City, call us at (405) 749-9655 or use our online form to request an appointment.